HCM CITY —  Designer Nguyễn Công Trí’s fall-winter collection will be shown at New York Fashion Week at the Gallery II, Spring Studios on February 11.

The collection features dozens of designs in Vietnamese silk, lace, cotton and wool. 

The designer has co-operated with American stylist Kate Young, who works for Dior, and Chanel, Valentino and Victoria’s Secret, on the production and catwalk for the event.   

Trí, a member of the Asian Couture Federation (ACF), has attended leading fashion events at home and abroad, including Việt Nam Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Tokyo Fashion Week and the Origin Passion and Belief Fair in Vicenza, Italy.

His collections impressed audiences at the Tokyo Fashion Week 2016 and 2017. 

Many of his clothes use Lãnh Mỹ A, a rare traditional silk made by artisans living in the southern province of An Giang.

Trí has worked with international singers such as Rihanna, Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani. Pop star Rihanna has worn designs by Trí since 2017.

The singer wore a white oversized shirt from the designer’s latest collection Haute Couture No:10 - Em Hoa (Flowers) at Tokyo Fashion Week 2017 in March. The collection was also shown in Vogue.com.

Rihanna’s image in Trí’s shirt on Instagram received 1.7 million likes.

Trí said that Rihanna’s stylist assistant emailed him after seeing the designs in Vogue.com. She ordered three designs, including a customised design from the collection.

“I spent four days on making the clothes in cotton, embroidered silk and felt, and packed them to send to New York,” he said.

Katy Perry has also worn Trí’s designs. The singer wore a long dress in blue by Trí in her latest music video, Immoral Flame, released in December. 

Born in Đà Nẵng, Trí graduated from the HCM City University of Architecture’s industrial arts faculty in 2001.

He rose to fame during school after his collection won second prize at the 2001 Asian Young Fashion Designers Contest, organised by the Textile and Fashion Federation of Singapore and the Singapore Trade Development Board.

His collection, Sự Thăng Hoa Của Đất Và Nước (Explosive Mix of Earth and Water) contained 12 pieces.

He now has a staff of more than 50, including sellers and seamstresses who work for his two shops in HCM City’s districts 1 and 3.

His shops have about 60 designs and accessories each, with a new collection each year. His elegant and eye-catching pieces, using high-quality silk, cotton and wool, are considered glamourus.

He has also been a judge in the Vietnamese versions of international TV reality shows like Project Runway and So You Think You Can Dance.

”My way is to adopt global styles but in an individual manner,” said the 41-year-old. — VNS